The Paragliding Mecca Of Korea: Flying Over The Serene Atmosphere Of Danyang
Our thrilling paragliding experience over the breathtaking view of Danyang, Korea
In Korea, there are endless things to do to make your travel plans memorable.
We took a trip to Danyang, in North Chungcheong Province which is the paragliding hot spot of Korea.
Change up your travel routine with this unique experience!
We visited Danyang on a beautiful day, so it was perfect weather to fly over its beautiful serene views.
Danyang is only 1 hour 20 minutes from Seoul by KTX, perfect for a day trip!
Just make sure to check the weather before you go, and call the paragliding facility first.
On windy or rainy days, they are not in service due to safety reasons.
There are many famous celebrities who have tried paragliding here.
The picture above is from the Korean variety show 2 Days & 1 Night where actor Park Bo-gum thanked the show for allowing him to experience something so special.
Although it was Monday when we went, there were still many people that were waiting for their turns.
The place that we chose was located on the top of the mountain which also had a cafe called CAFE SANN (카페산), another famous spot in Danyang.
It's a beautiful spot to have a cup of coffee and enjoy delicious pastries while you wait nervously for your turn.
The place we decided to paraglide was at Para 1st (패러일번지).
Prices
Package | Price (KRW) |
Normal (노멀아트비행) | Mon-Fri: 80,000 Weekends & Holidays: 85,000 |
Extreme (익스트림비행) | 120,000 |
Couples (커플비행) | 130,000 |
Special (스페셜비행) | 150,000 |
Our Experience
You can reserve your ticket on their website, but since many foreigners may not be familiar with the booking system, I went without making a reservation to see if I was able to buy tickets on the spot.
After arriving at Danyang around noon, we made our way to CAFE SANN to experience paragliding.
When telling the taxi driver, remember to call Para 1st (패러일번지) by its Korean name, Pareoilbeonji. Or you say CAFE SANN which is located on the same mountain.
If you make reservations prior, they will send a car to your location to take you to the paragliding site but we decided to take a taxi.
When taking a taxi, I was told that the fee to the top of the mountain was fixed at 15,000 won per ride (maximum 4 people).
There is no bus available so we recommend taking a taxi.
On the drive to the top of the mountain, you'll see the beautiful scenery of Danyang. I was very excited!
When we got there, we went straight to the paragliding facility, right behind CAFE SANN.
The owner gave us a piece of paper with some information to fill out.
We then put our personal items in the lockers and only brought our phones.
We chose the normal package (노멀아트비행) for 80,000 won per person since it was a weekday.
The prices here were the cheapest among other places we researched prior.
We changed into the paragliding suits!
The suits are quite large so you can simply wear them over your clothes, even if you're wearing a skirt.
If you wear sandals or high heels, you can also change into the sneakers that are available. But we recommend wearing your own sneakers!
In a corner of the store, you'll see certificates and medals they received for paragliding. This helped put my mind at ease knowing that we were in the hands of experienced professionals.
Once you're done changing, you can head back out. Just show your tickets to the person in charge and wait for your turn!
There were a lot of people there as this place is very popular among Koreans.
We had to wait almost an hour for our turns since they went by order for those that didn't make reservations prior.
The staff mentioned that it's even more crowded on weekends!
When we looked around, we also saw families with their young children.
It turns out that children from the ages of 4 can also try paragliding.
In the meantime, we were busy taking pictures and videos.
Do you see all the paragliders in the background? It was such an insane sight to see!
Another thing included in the package is that the staff will take pictures for you on your phone.
So you can comfortably take group pictures without awkwardly asking strangers if they're free.
After almost an hour of waiting, it was finally our turn!
We put on a light backpack, wore our helmets and knee pads.
The instructor will be right behind you so all you have to do is do what they say and follow their lead.
The most difficult thing was jumping off the mountain.
When the parachute stretches, you'll be pulled backward. You need to keep calm and listen to the instructor.
Then you need to gather all your courage and jump!
At the time, I was screaming my head off in both excitement and fear.
However, after a while, the fear completely vanished as I looked around at the beautiful scenery around me.
I looked at the sky, the river, the mountains and I was in awe of all its beauty.
As I was flying over this majestic scenery I was overwhelmed and emotional that I was able to overcome my fear of heights.
While flying high above in the sky, the instructor will give you a camera to hold.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, you still have to wear a mask when you're in the air.
According to the information online, the flight time is 5-10 minutes, but he let me fly for 15 minutes.
When you're above in the air the instructor will also make some small talk to help you relax.
And slowly, you'll land at a nearby river.
Remember to carefully listen to the instructor and raise your legs so you don't get injured when landing.
He has been paragliding for more than 20 years so he made a very gentle landing.
It was such an amazing experience that I would recommend it to all my friends.
Even as someone that's afraid of heights, I had an incredible time.
After landing, the car will take you back to the top of the mountain where you waited.
Along the way, they'll help you save clips from the camera to your phone.
The clips are quite large so make sure you have enough memory on your phone (around 2GB or more).
But if you don't have enough memory on your phone, you can choose to receive it by email.
When we arrived back at the location, the staff took a picture of us.
They were very attentive and let us take as many photos as we wanted.
We were able to leave satisfied, with photos to keep forever.
After taking our pictures, we went to pay.
Please note that they only accept cash or transfer.
We felt that the price of 80,000 won was well worth it as it includes paragliding, a once-in-a-lifetime experience, pictures, and videos!
You can check out our experience of visiting CAFE SANN here! You can also receive a 20% off coupon for drinks on our blog.
After taking a rest at CAFE SANN once more, we asked the owner to call us a cab to take us down so we could continue our trip.
We felt amazing and looked forward to the rest of our trip ready to conquer the world!
Information
Address: 충북 단양군 가곡면 사평리 246-30
246-30, Sapyeong-ri, Gagok-myeon, Danyang-gun, Chungbuk
Hours: 8:00-19:00
Phone: 043-422-8190
(We recommend calling in advance before coming)
Website: para1.co.kr
How To Get There: Take the KTX from Seoul (Cheongnyangni Station) to Danyang. (15,000 won)
Then use a taxi or pick-up service.
If you are planning a visit to Danyang, don't forget to add paragliding to your list!
With your partner or your friend, it will be an experience that you'll remember forever.